Texting While Driving Proves Deadly in Uintah County

Texting while driving is being blamed for a crash that killed a 15-year-old boy over the weekend. Vernal Assistant Police Chief Keith Campbell says the accident happened Sunday night when a 28-year-old man drifted off the road, hitting the teen and his friend:

“There were some comments made by witnesses as well as the individual operating the vehicle that he was texting when he struck the boy. As a follow up to that we have his phone and it will be processed by the Rocky Mountain Computer Forensics lab.”

The teen was flown to Primary Children’s Medical Center when he passed away on Monday. Campbell says this case proves texting is one of the most careless things drivers can do behind the wheel:

“The impairment has been compared to, in some studies, to driving while intoxicated and it seems to be or equal to more distracting or have a greater effect than driving while intoxicated.”

The case will be presented to the Uintah County Attorney’s Office, where the driver could face a second degree felony charge of automobile homicide while operating an electronic device.